PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has drawn the ire of the United States after it demolished a second US-built facility at its Ream Naval Base.
The demolition comes barely a month after it demolished the US-funded Tactical Headquarters of the National Committee for Maritime Security (NCMS) in September.
Cambodian Defence Minister General Tea Banh defended the move, saying the boat maintenance facility was on Cambodian sovereign territory and described the issue as a trivial matter that was being exaggerated.
The Khmer Times reported that the US think tank Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Monday published recent satellite images showing the demolition.
CSIS said NCMS's Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat Maintenance Facility and adjoining boat ramp were constructed in 2017.
The US embassy spokesman Chad Roedemeier said they were disappointed that Cambodian military authorities had demolished another maritime security facility funded by the US without any notification or explanation.
"The prime minister said Cambodia will not allow an exclusive or permanent foreign military presence anywhere in the country. We hope the government continues to abide by that position."
Banh said they were relocating the facility to a new location in Koh Preab, which was 30km away.
"It is just a small boat maintenance facility. At the new location, we will build a bigger and more modern facility."
He said it was necessary to demolish the two US-funded facilities to expand the military port at the Ream Naval Base.
Banh said Cambodia had always asked the US to dispose of chemical bombs, which were dropped by US warplanes during the war in several places and were a threat to villagers, but did not receive a positive response from the US.
After the first demolition of a US-funded facility in September, the Pentagon expressed its concern that Cambodia may be hosting China military personnel at the naval base.